Lizzie Borden Society Forum

In Emma's trial testimony I noted something that was along the lines of reference to her home life after Bridget left for good, and Lizzie was arrested and awaiting trial.
I had gathered a lot of that kind of background from the newspapers when I wrote about Emma in The Hatchet. This snippet of testimony, tho, I don't recall. I knew she had someone there with her- a man would get the mail, I believe- but it wasn't clear if that was Morse, and a man unrelated to Emma could not stay on the premises. And I also believe she had a housekeeper- singular.

Trial
Emma

Q. Was any change made in the house when you began to occupy the whole house?
A. Two of the sleeping rooms down stairs

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was made into a dining room.

Q. That is, a partition was taken away?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. So as to leave it as it is now?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. And before that time the partition was solid, the same as it is upstairs?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. You have lived there ever since?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. Live there now?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. And live there alone now?
A. Except with the servants

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So Emma has Plural Servants on Second Street!
While Lizzie is in jail! And does that sound a bit like boasting?
I can't tell.
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Also, the reference Morse made as to where he was between the murder and trial, in his testimony at the trial, I did not recall:

159/i180

Q. Did you attend the preliminary examination at Fall River in the District Court?
A. I did.

Q. And were axes produced there---hatchets?
A. Yes, sir.

Q. Are you able to say whether those were the ones or not?
A. I could not say.

Q. You cannot say about that. Were you there on Saturday, I am reminded to ask you?
A. Yes. sir.

Q. Well, I allude to it as a possible day when there was quite a search made by the officers, a thorough search?
A. I was there every day afterwards for three or four months.

Q. Did you attend the burial?
A. I did.

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Does that sound like he didn’t always stay at night? I hadn’t thought of that- but now I don’t see why he wouldn’t be staying other places, since he does seem to get around a bit. I mean, he wouldn't just drop the Davis family so he probably would continue there back and forth- and maybe see to *man things* about the Swansea farm, and he had his own Morse family in the area as well.
Is there any more info on this?

It could have been a husband/wife team of servants...that would give a female to attend to the household chores, and a male to do heavier chores and have a man in the house.

Kat, I wonder whether the "plural servants" were all live-in? It's hard to picture Emma having more than one living in, unless she is running a boardinghouse for help.
Of course, a husband/wife could occupy Bridget's old room. Maybe Emma stuffed two female servants up there.
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If John Morse is there every day, for months, I don't see why he couldn't help with some of the "manly chores."
Also, doesn't it seem improbable that he was commuting to work, out-of-town (to the Davises', or elsewhere)? He probably remained in touch with them, and his other relations round and about, but he probably didn't stray too far, if, as he says, he was at Second Street EVERY DAY.
Doubtless, he went out and back to that farm in Sawnsea of which he was so fond.
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Of course, my suspicions of John Morse have already been expressed. Methinks he was already spooning up the Borden milk at this juncture, so there certainly wouldn't have been any need for him to be a-butchering.
It's obvious Emma is already enjoying her newfound cash cow, as well.
Ain't life grand, all of a sudden?!!!
Thanks for sharing these most interesting tidbits.

My impression is that John Morse stayed around the Fall River area (though not necessarily at 92 Second St.) while the grand jury was meeting and then returned to his home in Iowa until the trial brought him back to Massachusetts. I'm not surprised if he was a frequent visitor and assist to Emma during this time.

When it comes down to it, in my opinion, Emma seems less independent than Lizzie. Emma moved out of Maplecroft but really didn't stay on her own very much. She sort of took after John Morse in that respect. She was living or staying with other people a lot of the time. Meanwhile Lizzie is living alone in her new roomy house on French Street. If she had more than one servant it might be, just in my opinion, that she liked the added company it provided. There were farms hands on the farm who could've taken care of chopping the wood and such, since it seems they took care of it before Andrew died as well. But if she did have a male servant, having a man around the house might have made her feel safer.

I don't think that Lizzie was very happy after the trail. I mean, I know there for awhile she was all those parties, that's the reason Emma moved. Don't think she was happy. Think she might have had a husband and wife servant, check the mail and that, but, who wants to work for an accused axe murderer?